With a 7-3 lead over Salina Central’s Brooke Garlow and Shayna Hauserman in the championship match of No. 1 doubles play in Monday’s Emporia Invitational, Emporia High’s Emilia Chiroy turned to her playing partner, Rachael Bachman, and let it be known their lead would not slip.
“I told Rachael, when we were up 7-3 in the last match, that we were not giving away the match,” Chiroy said. “Sometimes, we just choke, and we need to work on that.”
Chiroy’s forcefulness was the result of the previous match against Wichita East’s Natalie Shellito and Sesily Jackson, where Chiroy and Bachman gained a 7-3 lead, then saw it shrink to 7-6, before pulling out the victory at 8-6 to advance.
Chiroy and Bachman did not allow Garlow and Hauserman to mount the same type of comeback, as the Spartan duo broke their opponents’ serve for the sixth time in the match to win the No. 1 doubles title going away, 8-3.
“I thought we played a lot better than how we have been playing,” Chiroy said. “Our ground-strokes were good, and our volleys were a little shaky, but they got better. We were moving our feet and anticipating the ball, and getting ready and set up for the ball.”
Chiroy and Bachman’s victory in No. 1 doubles, coupled with Hallie Kretsinger’s second-place finish at the No. 1 singles spot, helped the Spartans to a third-place finish as a team with 16 points. Salina Central won the team title with 22 points, followed by Wichita East with 18 points.
“Rachael and Emilia played the best they’ve played all season ... and the same thing is true for Hallie,” EHS coach Melinda Flohr said. “Right now, their play has elevated. We’ve had a couple of frustrating meets here, and I think it was really important for them to be able to turn things around.”
Kretsinger had a strong day, as she breezed through pool play with wins over Manhattan’s Danielle Quigley, 8-3, and Wichita East’s Elisa De la Fuente, 8-3, before meeting Salina Central’s Amanda Morris in the championship match.
Morris beat Kretsinger, 8-1, to take the No. 1 singles victory, but Kretsinger was more pleased with her performance Monday than she was a week ago when she faced Morris and lost, 8-2.
“She (Morris) is a really good player, and that’s pretty much it,” Kretsinger said. “I played with more confidence, and I’ve been hitting with more top-spin, which helps a lot. Even though I lost in the last match, I played her better than I did earlier in the season.”
At the No. 2 singles spot, Whitney Page dropped her two matches in pool play to Manhattan’s Melanie White, 8-6, and Wichita East’s Esther Lee, 8-3, before rebounding to take fifth place with an 8-0 victory over Wichita Southeast’s Katie Stuber.
In No. 2 doubles action, Jennifer Newell and Kaitlin Pedersen also turned in a fifth-place finish, losing to Manhattan’s Carolyn Yang and Heidi Wetzel, 8-4, and Wichita East’s Hema Naraneethen and Larissa Briley, 8-3, before beating Wichita Southeast’s Brittany Cade and Hayley Dunn, 8-0.
“I think we’re progressing. I think we’re where we need to be right now,” Flohr said. “We’ve got league next week and regionals later next week. Hopefully, we’re starting to peak at the right time — that’s what you always hope for.”
EHS boys soccer
picks up 2nd victory
Two late-game saves from Emporia High goalkeeper Spencer Anderson helped the Spartans come away with a 1-0 victory over Topeka West on Monday at Hummer Sports Park.
The first save occurred when Anderson barely tapped away a shot with his fingertips, while the second save happened when he punched out a Topeka West corner kick. Both shots, EHS coach Steve Pearson said, looked destined to find the net if not for the heads-up plays by Anderson.
“They had two excellent chances late in the game to tie us or even go ahead,” Pearson said. “Spencer did an excellent job.”
Emporia High’s lone goal came in the 37th minute when Alex Guevara found Gary Rivera inside the 6-yard box after a scramble for the ball drew out Topeka West goalie Nick Theimer. With no goalkeeper to stop him, Rivera tapped the ball into the net to give the Spartans (2-4-2) the deciding score.
“This gets a monkey off our backs,” Pearson said. “This was a good game from beginning to end. Either side could have won, and it was tooth and nail all the way.”
Some personnel moves might have contributed to the Spartans’ second win of the season, as Pearson moved forwards Brian Dorsey and Ryan Dorsey to midfield while midfielders Guevara and Rivera moved ahead to the forward spots, a move Pearson said might stick around for awhile.
“That made a big difference, I think,” Pearson said. “Alex and Gary have harder short-range shots, and we wanted Ryan and Brian’s energy out in the middle of the field to advance the ball forward. We’ll keep it this way for our next game and see what it does for us.”
Emporia High’s next game is at 6:15 p.m., Thursday against Manhattan at the TRYSA Soccer Complex.